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Mesoproterozoic Era
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Table 4: Geologic time scale. To see more information about a period, select one from the chart. A detailed geologic time scale chart displaying Earth's history from the Hadean Eon over 4.5 billion years ago to the present, organized by eons, eras, periods, epochs, and ages with color-coded columns and corresponding dates in millions of years. A chart showing the Proterozoic eon on the geologic time scale, divided into Paleoproterozoic, Mesoproterozoic, and Neoproterozoic eras with their respective periods and the millions of years ago each period began, ranging from 2,500 to about 539 million years ago.
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Mesoproterozoic Era

geochronology
Also known as: Middle Proterozoic Era
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Table 4: Geologic time scale. To see more information about a period, select one from the chart.
Table 4: Geologic time scale. To see more information about a period, select one from the chart.

The Mesoproterozoic Era is a division of geologic time within the Proterozoic Eon, spanning from approximately 1.6 billion to 1 billion years ago. This era is part of the Precambrian, the longest eon in Earth's history. During the Mesoproterozoic, significant geological events included the assembly and breakup of supercontinents, such as Rodinia.123

The Proterozoic Eon, in general, saw major changes in Earth's atmosphere and oceans, including the accumulation of oxygen due to photosynthesis. Rocks from this eon often contain valuable metallic ores like iron, gold, copper, uranium, and nickel. While Precambrian fossils are scarce, the Proterozoic is notable for containing traces of early life-forms, including bacteria, blue-green algae, and the first oxygen-dependent animals. The Mesoproterozoic Era is defined by isotopic age determinations and is a period of significant continental evolution and plate movement.245

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
8 Britannica Sources
  1. Precambrian - Major subdivisions of the Precambrian System
  2. Proterozoic Eon
  3. dating: Top Questions
  4. Precambrian - Archean crustal growth
  5. era
  6. geochronology
  7. Precambrian - Proterozoic plate movements
  8. Proterozoic

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